The City of Andalusia’s Department of Leisure Services will host a pair of Dixie Leagues state tournaments in the month of July and are looking for people and businesses to help make them special events.
“It’s a really good opportunity for not only or league, but the city as a whole to host these tournaments,” Leisure Services director Caitlin Shipman said. “The two tournaments will bring a lot of people into our economy for about a two-week period.”
The first of the two tournaments will be the Dixie Darling 8U state championship that will run from July 7-11.
The second tournament will be the Dixie Boys Ozone that will run from July 14-18.
“There is a 12-team max for the girls’ state tournament and that will bring around 180 players and coaches,” Shipman said. “Last year, this boys’ division had 16 teams. There could be less than that, but that would bring around 240 players and coaches. Those numbers don’t include the family members and friends that will also come.”
Shipman said that there are a few different ways for people and business to help with the event.
“We are asking businesses for items that we can put in a goody bag,” Shipman said. “Anything they may have like coupons or other promotional items that we can give out to the players. We are also going to do a special price for advertisement for the programs. Since they are so close together, business will get in both programs for the price of what it would normally cost to be in one.”
Shipman said that this is looking forward to hosting to the tournament.
“We have only been back in Dixie for a few years now, and the Dixie directors said they are excited to have us back,” Shipman said. “They came to look at our facilities and said that we had some of the best in the state. They said they are excited to have us hosting and we are very excited to have the opportunity to show off our wonderful city to all of the different families that the tournaments will bring.”
Andalusia Star News
The huge popularity of an Eagles tribute performance last year prompted Covington Arts Council executive director Paula Harr to book a Journey tribute band for the current season.
The group will perform at 7 p.m. this Sat., Jan. 21, in the Dixon Center for the Performing Arts at LBW Community Center.
“This is a wonderful, fantastic Journey tribute for all of our rock and roll fans,” Harr said. “We are hoping everybody will come and rock out with us again.”Described as a stunningly accurate tribute to the music of Journey, the band recreates the experience of a Journey concert from the band’s most prolific period, employing some of Nashville’s top musicians, many of whom have... READ MORE>
The City of Andalusia has a memorandum of understanding with what Mayor Earl Johnson calls “hot prospect” for the bottom floor of the First National Bank building.
Speaking to the Kiwanis Club on Monday, the mayor said that the prospect, a restaurant, “is not the kind of restaurant Big Mike’s is. But it will be successful and add to our Square. We hope to see something announced real soon.”
Two weeks ago, Johnson announced that the city had acquired the First National Bank building, also known as the Timmerman building, for $260,000. The Estep Foundation contributed 100,000 toward the purchase. The building was in abatement for safety issues, which the city expects to be able to correct for approximately $50,000 to $60,000. The issues include loose mortar and missing windows, among others. A safety fence has been in place for almost a year. READ MORE>
Officer Gene Jackson has been with the Andalusia Police Department since October 2014. Officer Jackson began his career at APD and attended the Alabama Criminal Justice Training Center in Selma.
Officer Jackson works as a patrol officer under the direction of Sgt. Nic Ireland and Lt. Alice Donaldson on C Shift.
In addition to his duties as a patrol officer, he serves as a department field training officer. READ MORE>
“When?”
That’s the question lots of area residents are asking about Clark Theatre in downtown Andalusia. “When?” will the renovation be completed and the theater reopened.
Lucas Lumpkin, who is managing the project locally for Wyatt Sasser Construction, said he expects the work to take until late February. The once three-story building will now have two levels, with two theaters downstairs and one upstairs. On Wednesday, workers were painting the exterior, and indoors, sheetrock work was under way in the lobby.
Almost a year ago, Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson announced that the O’Neal family, who had owned the theater building on the square for decades, had donated the building to the city. In turn, the city negotiated a long-term lease with Clarke Theatres in which the city agreed to completely remodel the facility.
The timing of the renovations was coordinated with Mack Clarke, owner of Clarke Theatres, and in consideration of requests by movie distribution companies, Johnson said.
Friday, the mayor said it will likely be some time in March before the theater reopens.
The renovation includes adding new restrooms and moving the snack bar facility in the lobby, as well as the changes to the theaters.